Julia & Laguna
by Loren
Summary: If you ever wondered about happened to Julia. Very ironic! Part One of Three Chapters!
1. Julia & Laguna: Chapter One

Legal Note: All FF8 characters in this story belong to Square Soft. No copyright laws violated intentionally. I just wanted to write a fanfic. My first fanfic too.  
  
I took deep breaths and tried desperately not to panic. The microphone slipped lightly out of my hand onto the stage floor with a harsh thump. The audience watched curiously.   
  
" Laguna...," I spoke under my breath.   
  
" Are you alright Miss Julia?" the barmaid whispered, after just bringing the heartbreaking message.   
  
" I... I can't do this!" I stepped down from the stage and ran up the stairway, leaving the crowd is awe. I didn't bother to go to my compact hotel room, where I have lived for the past year for no cost for performing in the tavern. I dashed out the front doors out into the street. Tears willed their way from my eyes. I stopped fighting them. He can't be dead. Can't be. I felt my soul rip apart with the mere concept of it.  
  
People would stop and glance at me as I quickly fled by. But none came after me. Out of breath, I forced myself to a halt by the bridge. I sat down on the side and frowned at my reflection.   
How could this have happened? Why?! The shock started to waver. I closed my eyes. I remembered when we first actually met. He came with his buddies to the bar. I was playing the piano. Some sweet melody. And he slowly confronted me. Lingering around me. I invited him to my room to talk. I had to tell him how I felt. The emotions that surfaced every time he came to watch me. He told me his dreams of touring the world and being a journalist. He talked a lot but his voice was so smoothing. I told him about my fantasy of being a singer. And that he was my inspiration to follow it. Then he left, back to the war. He returned again, and right when I was on the stage, he nervously proposed to me. Rambling an apology for not having enough money to buy a more elegant ring. Then I kissed him passionately. My way of saying yes. He spent a few nights with me. We talked so much about everything. He promised that he would search the world for the perfect spot. To be our haven. Safe from the world. He said he had to be a solider a little longer, so he could do this. I reluctantly let him leave.  
  
"But it'll never happen now," I said bitterly, looking at the unadorned (except for a barely visible pair of little angel wings carved into it) silver ring.   
  
" Is something wrong miss?" a gentle voice spoke from behind. I turned my face to see a dark haired man with tamed eyes. He had a white collared shirt under a navy colored jacket decorated with bright golden pins and straight legged pants of the exact shade of the coat. He obviously was a man of high rank in the military. Which was odd because he appeared to be in his late twenties.   
  
" Nothing sir. I guess I'll be returning back to the inn. Sorry if I disturbed you," I blurted out quickly.  
  
" Please wait. I couldn't help but overhear you crying. But I would like to know if I can be any help with whatever is upsetting you," the man said.  
  
" I'm sorry. There's nothing you can do. Someone close me has died," I blurted again.  
  
" I understand how you feel. I have lost a few friends to death before. Please don't take this in the wrong offense, but would you come to my mansion and maybe we can talk about this? By the way, I am Jeffrey Caraway. Feel free to call me Jeff," said the man politely.  
  
" Oh, my name is Julia Austin. Julia, of course. Are you sure its okay?" I asked. I wasn't sure about what to do. Talk to some stranger or sit by myself crying.  
  
" Certainly Julia." He held out his hand and I timidly took it. It wasn't long before he led me to a huge house.  
  
Note: I separated the story into three parts. Stay tuned for the next two. I would really like your opinions on this. 


	2. Julia & Laguna: Chapter Two

Note: I decided just to squeeze it all into 2 chapters. Enjoy.  
  
  
" Welcome to my chateau," the man laughed. He took me to a room, most likely an office. I sat down on a sofa.   
  
Then we talked for hours. I told him about Laguna. He said it was very sad. Then he told me of   
his close companions that he witnessed dying in battle. I said that had to haunt him. He faintly nodded. When we realized it was so late, he told I could sleep on the sofa. I was too tired to care. I had dreams of Laguna. It would start out in a big lush field with wild flowers. Laguna and I were picnicking. He had just returned because the war was finally over. For some reason, Laguna was absorbed in the idea of us having a baby. I asked him if he'd like a boy or a girl. He said it didn't matter. But if it was a girl, he wanted to call her Elly and if a boy, he'd maybe call him Shane. While we were discussing all this, a cruel black appeared and drifted towards us. When we noticed it, heavy rain started pouring down. It was so thick I couldn't see Laguna anymore. I called out for him. The soil was sinking and I ran. Then all of a sudden it stopped. I turned around to find nothing but a barren desert.   
  
These dreams horrified me. I screamed and jumped up. Jeff had came to me because he heard me shout and I clung to him in fear. He was confused at first, but comforted me while I backtracked into reality. His comfort nurtured me and made me secure. We frequently visited each other from that time on. In a way, we really needed each other. We became very close.  
  
Two years and seven months later, he asked me for marriage. And I told him yes. Maybe it was the wrong thing to do or the right thing to do. But the truth was Laguna was my first love, and both Jeff and I lost people to the war. We gave each other which always lacking. I still loved Laguna. A mix of guilt and heartache still came to me when I thought of him. I would still daydream of the memories of him.   
  
A few years later, our little daughter Rinoa was born. She had the same stubbornness as her father. And I swore when I could see a little bit of Laguna inside her. Or perhaps it was just my imagination. For her fourth birthday, I bought her a silver chain. And I put Laguna and my engagement ring on it. It seemed strange to wear it anymore and I was afraid it would make Jeff upset.   
  
Now I am going to leave and drive my new car to the bar. I wanted to do one more gig before officially retiring. The bar was going to throw a party for me for good luck. The barmaids, bartender, and the regular customers were my friends. A company from Timber was offering to produce records of my singing and help to sell by advertising it in their magazine. It was a little late, so I tucked little Rinoa into bed.  
  
I climbed into my car and pulled out into the street and started off. I came to a corner. The light was green so I kept going. My ears were deafened by a piercing WHAM!   
  
Now I lay here on the pavement. Some woman had dragged me from the wrecked mess. She had long black hair and had dark dress. She was unfamiliar to me, but it seemed like I have seen her face before.   
  
" Who are you?" I ask.  
  
" Shhh.... try not to move so much. You'll bleed more. My name's Matron. I came to Deling for some supplies. Just try to keep your eyes open. Stay with me. Help's coming," the woman says.   
  
" Promise me that someone will take care of Rinoa," were my last words.   
  
Matron kept yelling at me to stay awake. But her voice was fading. Before my eyesight died away, I saw a little girl in a blue dress and short brown hair, no more than maybe ten, looking at me sadly.   
  
" I promise. Thank you Julia. For the chance to meet Uncle Laguna," the girl's voice says clearly in my mind.   
  
Suddenly I could see his face. Laguna's. He was towering over me. A hallucination. Must be. Sorrow filled in me.   
  
" Its ok Ellone, Uncle Laguna's here. You're safe now," he said.   
  
" You saved me!" my lips move. Although they weren't mine.   
  
Then it all went dark and I knew the truth of the past and things to come.  
  
And I felt blessed. 


End file.
